In November of 2019, in the first full year of Innovation Lab, we discovered a local interior design firm, Corbett Inc., had converted an old wool mill on the Schukyll River in Norristown, PA into an innovation-and-technology-in-education hub. We jumped on the chance to visit, as their mission was aligned with our own.
In a little over a month, our students developed self-determined learning projects, done background research, and created project pitches. Having little idea of what we were getting into other than that we were presenting in a public space to local business people, the students dove into the opportunity and came out with what many of them realized was the best field trip they had ever taken.
Over the intervening six years (with a year off for COVID in 2020), we have visited Fluxspace twice a year to present projects, receive feedback, and be the audience for numerous entrepreneurs and innovators in the Philadelphia area and beyond.
Throughout it all, Fluxspace has grown, its interior changing to adapt to new technologies, new layouts and new ideas. And throughout all that change, one thing has been constant, their steadfast focus on their mission and vision:
So when we again showed up at Fluxspace this past Friday, December 19, 2025, I knew things would be different. Our class size was 3/4 of our normal 40 students, we had a 2 hour delay for wind and power outages, and I’d lost a couple of the former students and local business people who were going to be providing feedback and critique to the students on their projects.
But I also knew somethings would be the same: The space would be ready for us, our guest speaker, Max Mirho, would be one of the most informative speakers on Creative Marketing we’ve ever had, and Fluxspace director of Innovation, Ryne Anthony, would be a tremendous host. All these things were true, but what was most impressive was the way the nine students stepped up to fill the space and take charge of their time. Equally important was the way the three NOVA Lab alum, home for the holidays, were able to offer such important and insightful feedback to the current students.
While our time at Fluxspace was shortened by two hours, and while we never had the chance to hear from our former student, Julia Killar, about her innovative work using storytelling with mothers in the African nation of Sierra Leone, the focus of the day was placed solidly where the students wanted it to be–on themselves, their work, and the potential of their projects to do good things.
What could be better than students who want to talk about their work, who want the hard feedback, and who want to do good in the world?
Innovation Lab 